I. Program Background Information



U.S. Department of EducationOffice of Elementary and Secondary EducationOffice of State Support and AccountabilityWashington, D.C. 20202-6200Fiscal Year 2020Application for New Grants Under the Competitive Grants for State Assessment ProgramCFDA 84.368ADated Material - Open ImmediatelyClosing Date: June 30, 2020 Funding Opportunity Number: ED-GRANTS-050120-002Approved OMB Number: 1894-0006Expiration Date: 1/31/2021Paperwork Burden StatementAccording to the Paperwork reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is: 1894-0006. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@. Please do not return completed applications to this address.If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this application, please contact:Donald PeasleyCompetitive Grants for State Assessment ProgramU.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 3W106 Washington, DC 20202-6200 [Note: Please do not return the completed application to this address.]Table of Contents Dear Colleague Letter………………………………………………… ………………………4 TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u I. Program Background Information PAGEREF _Toc38612517 \h 5Program Overview PAGEREF _Toc38612518 \h 5Application Requirements and Priorities PAGEREF _Toc38612521 \h 6Applicant Guide PAGEREF _Toc38612522 \h 6Selection Criteria PAGEREF _Toc38612523 \h 6Definitions PAGEREF _Toc38612524 \h 7Technical Assistance Workshops for Prospective Applicants PAGEREF _Toc38612525 \h 7II. Application Submission Procedures PAGEREF _Toc38612526 \h 7Notice of Intent to Apply PAGEREF _Toc38612527 \h 7Application Transmittal Instructions PAGEREF _Toc38612528 \h 7Helpful Hints When Working with PAGEREF _Toc38612530 \h 9Electronic Application Submission Checklist PAGEREF _Toc38612531 \h 10Part 1: Preliminary Documents PAGEREF _Toc38612532 \h 12Part 2: Budget Information PAGEREF _Toc38612533 \h 19Part 3: ED Abstract Form PAGEREF _Toc38612534 \h 22Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form PAGEREF _Toc38612535 \h 23Part 5: Budget Narrative PAGEREF _Toc38612536 \h 24Part 6: Other Attachment Form PAGEREF _Toc38612537 \h 27Part 7: Assurances and Certifications PAGEREF _Toc38612538 \h 28Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372) PAGEREF _Toc38612539 \h 31III. Reporting and Accountability PAGEREF _Toc38612540 \h 32Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Measures PAGEREF _Toc38612541 \h 32IV. Legal and Regulatory Information PAGEREF _Toc38612542 \h 33Notice Inviting Applications PAGEREF _Toc38612543 \h 33Program Statute PAGEREF _Toc38612544 \h 33United States Department of EducationOffice of Elementary and Secondary EducationDear Colleague:Thank you for your interest in the Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program, administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). This document includes information for applicants seeking funding for new grant projects in Fiscal Year 2020 under the CGSA, authorized under section 1203(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. The purpose of the CGSA program is to support States' efforts to improve the technical quality of their assessment systems—both the quality of individual State assessments and the overall field of State assessments.Please take the time to review the applicable priorities, selection criteria, and all the application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program (34 CFR§75.216 (b) and (c)).If you are new to or would like a refresher on applying to a grant at the Department, please review our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf To apply for this competition please use the government-wide website, . We encourage that early in the process of compiling an application for submission you familiarize yourself with and register or identify who has access to your entity’s registration within your entity and become a user or clarify roles for submitting application using . We recommend that you submit early. To submit successfully, you must provide the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number on your application that was used when you, or someone in your entity, registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on . This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) (). If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, will reject your application. Please note, the narrative portion of an application must be submitted using either read-only, flattened Portable Document Format (PDF) or a Microsoft Word document. Please see related instructions within this application package.The Department expects to award approximately $12,327,000 for new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to 48 months. Grants are expected to be awarded in September 2020.Please visit our program website at for further information. The program website includes helpful information, frequently asked questions, dates of future webinars or workshops, and clarifications. If you have any technical questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Donald Peasley by telephone at (202) 453-7982 or via e-mail at ESEA.Assessment@ . Sincerely, Patrick Rooney Director, Office of School Support and AccountabilityI. Program Background InformationProgram OverviewThe purpose of the Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program is to support States' efforts to improve the technical quality of their assessment systems—both the quality of individual State assessments and the overall field of State assessments. Proficiency on State assessments required under Title I, Part A, of the ESEA is the primary indicator in the ESEA of student academic achievement and, hence, the primary measure of State success in meeting the goals of ESEA. In view of the critical importance of these State assessments, section 1201 of the ESEA provides formula grants to all State Educational Agencies (SEA), and section 1203 authorizes the Secretary to make competitive grant awards to SEAs to help them enhance the quality of assessment and accountability systems.Note About Award SizeThe Department will not make an award for less than the amount specified in section 1203(b)(1)(C) of the ESEA. Minimum award sizes, based on the FY 2019 appropriations and FY 2019 SEA school-age child counts, are as follows:StateALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS Minimum Amount $ 181,669 $ 29,806 $ 275,188 $ 116,950 State CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE Minimum Amount $ 1,493,391 $ 211,713 $ 125,894 $ 33,935 State DIST. COLUMBIA FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII Minimum Amount $ 18,671 $ 703,724 $ 421,505 $ 49,192 State IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA Minimum Amount $ 75,399 $ 478,132 $ 262,158 $ 121,445 State KANSAS KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE Minimum Amount $ 117,815 $ 167,253 $ 179,904 $ 42,445 State MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA Minimum Amount $ 222,492 $ 229,572 $ 363,163 $ 216,033 State MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA Minimum Amount $ 118,736 $ 228,985 $ 38,061 $ 78,418 State NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO Minimum Amount $ 114,708 $ 44,275 $ 327,249 $ 81,619 State NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO Minimum Amount $ 667,640 $ 385,514 $ 28,278 $ 432,953 State OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND Minimum Amount $ 158,733 $ 145,802 $ 443,756 $ 34,389 State SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS Minimum Amount $ 185,528 $ 35,456 $ 250,770 $ 1,225,510 State UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON Minimum Amount $ 154,948 $ 19,678 $ 309,884 $ 273,787 State WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING PUERTO RICO Minimum Amount $ 61,322 $ 214,755 $ 22,545 $ 106,586 Application Requirements and PrioritiesThere are application requirements for this FY 2020 grant competition and any subsequent year in which awards are made from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Grant competitions may include “Absolute Priorities,” which must be clearly met in order for an application to be considered, and also “Competitive Preference” or “Invitational Priorities,” which are not required to be met but may increase the likelihood of receiving an award.To read a list of Absolute Priorities and Invitational Priorities for this grant competition, please reference the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for this competition on the Federal Register.See to access the NIA for this competition.Applicant GuideApplications are entered into the system; applications submitted via email will not be accepted. For more information, including how to submit a paper application in cases in which electronic submission is not possible, please read the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.A completed application will include a program narrative. The program narrative is the section of the application that directly responds to the selection criteria. The program narrative should follow the order of the selection criteria. Applicants should describe, in detail, activities planned for each of the funding periods of the grant. The program office suggests that applicants limit the program narrative to 65 pages. Narrative attachments must be submitted as files in a read-only, flattened Portable Document Format (PDF) or as a Microsoft Word document. If applicants upload a different file type or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. A minimum of three peer reviewers will evaluate each proposal. Reviewers will be asked to review the applicants’ responses to each criterion and score each of their assigned proposals. Not responding to a specific criterion could negatively the score. The Notice Inviting Applications for this competition provides the selection criteria, application requirements, eligibility, definitions, and explanations on how each criterion and requirement will be applied during the review process. See to access the NIA for this competition.Selection CriteriaThe selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all the selection criteria and the maximum possible score for addressing each selection criterion (indicated in parentheses) is detailed in the Notice Inviting Applications for this grant competition. Each criterion also includes the factors that reviewers will consider in determining the extent to which an applicant meets the criterion. The selection criteria for this competition can be found in the Notice Inviting Applications for this grant competition.See to access the NIA for this competition.Program Authority: Section 1203(b)(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6363(b)(1))DefinitionsDefinitions for this program are from ECA, CFR, and the Secretary’s Supplemental Priorities. These definitions apply to the FY 2020 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Definitions can be found in the Notice Inviting Applications for this grant competition.See to access the NIA for this competition.Technical Assistance Workshops for Prospective ApplicantsOne technical assistance webinar for prospective applicants is scheduled. When possible, information from and recordings of the session will be posted on the program website. The date and time for the webinar is:Tuesday May 12 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm easternPlease contact Donald Peasley at ESEA.Assessment@ by 12:00 p.m. May 12, 2020 to receive specific information regarding access to the Applicant Webinar. The webinar will be recorded, and a copy of the slide deck and link to the recorded webinar will be posted on the CGSA Resources page at: II. Application Submission ProceduresThe deadline for submission of Competitive Grants for State Assessment Program applications through is 11:59:59 PM EST on June 30, 2020.Notice of Intent to ApplyWe are better able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if we have a better understanding of the number of applicants that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, we strongly encourage each potential applicant to notify us of the applicant’s intent to submit an application for funding. This notification should be brief, identify the SEA applicant and, if applicable, the SEA that it will designate as the fiscal agent for an award (e.g., in the case of consortia applicants). Submit this notification by email to ESEA.Assessment@ with “Intent to Apply” in the email subject line or mail to Donald Peasley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 3W106, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Applicants that do not provide this notification may still apply for funding.Application Transmittal InstructionsAttention Electronic Applicants: This program requires the electronic submission of applications--specific requirements and instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice. Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at , which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to RemindersREGISTER EARLY – registration involves many steps including registration on SAM () which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in , and before you can submit an application through . For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: [Note: Your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.]Primary information about SAM is available at . However, to further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account the Department of Education has prepared a Tip Sheet which you can find at: . has relaxed the requirement for applicants to have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to apply for funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. An applicant that does not have an active SAM registration can still register with , but must contact the Support Desk, toll-free, at 1–800–518–4726, in order to take advantage of this flexibility.See to access the NIA for this competition.SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes to process the application will vary as well. If rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on . This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the SAM. If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, will reject your application.VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from , an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on ’s Track My Application link.If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by . Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons may reject an application can be found on the site: . For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Software Tip Sheet at: . If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully. Submission Problems – What should you do?If you have problems submitting to before the closing date, please contact Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: mailto:support@ or access the Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: Hints When Working with Please note, once you download an application from , you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the file on your computer. You will need to logon to to upload and submit the application. You must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on .Please go to for help with , or access the user guide at: . For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Applicant FAQs found at this link: . Attaching Files – Additional TipsPlease note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that applicants only include read-only, flattened .PDF files or Microsoft Word documents in their application:Ensure that you attach .PDF files only or Microsoft Word files for any attachments to your application, and any PDFs must be in a read-only, flattened format (meaning any fillable documents must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files). PDF files and Microsoft Word files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the common instructions. Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read. cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the guidelines will be rejected at and not forwarded to the Department. Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.Electronic Application Submission ChecklistIt is recommended that your electronic application be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process. Instructions for all parts and forms of the application are found either on the following pages of the application package or individually for each form on . Review your electronic application to ensure you have completed the following forms and sections:Part 1: Preliminary DocumentsApplication for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424) – Note: must complete this form firstED Supplemental Information for SF 424Part 2: Budget InformationED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)Part 3: ED Abstract Form Project AbstractPart 4: Project Narrative Attachment FormApplication NarrativePart 5: Budget Narrative Attachment FormBudget NarrativePart 6: Other Attachments FormIndividual Resumes for Project Directors & Key PersonnelCopy of Indirect Cost Rate AgreementLetters of SupportReferences/BibliographyPart 7: Assurances and CertificationsDisclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) Lobbying Form – “Certification Regarding Lobbying” (ED 80-013 Form)General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA427 form) MOU/MOA or Consortium Agreement Documentation; all group applicantsPart 8: Intergovernmental Review (Executive Order 12372) Not applicablePart 1: Preliminary Documents Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424)ED Supplemental Information for SF 424These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and DUNS number). When applying electronically via , you will need to ensure that the DUNS number you enter on your application is the same as the DUNS number your organization used when it registered with the System for Award Management. Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424) first. will automatically insert the correct CFDA and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms. NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although this form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SF-424 is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications and applications and related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required and some are optional at the discretion of the applicant or the federal agency (agency). Required fields on the form are identified with an asterisk (*) and are also specified as “Required” in the instructions below. In addition to these instructions, applicants must consult agency instructions to determine other specific requirements.ItemEntry:Item:Entry:1.Type of Submission: (Required) Select one type of submission in accordance with agency instructions.? Pre-application? Application? Changed/Corrected Application – Check if this submission is to change or correct a previously submitted application. Unless requested by the agency, applicants may not use this form to submit changes after the closing date.10.Name of Federal Agency: (Required) Enter the name of the federal agency from which assistance is being requested with this application.11.Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number/Title:Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title of the program under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement, if applicable.2.Type of Application: (Required) Select one type of application in accordance with agency instructions.? New – An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.? Continuation - An extension for an additional funding/budget period for a project with a projected completion date. This can include renewals.? Revision - Any change in the federal government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s). More than one may be selected. If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided.A. Increase Award D. Decrease DurationB. Decrease Award E. Other (specify)C. Increase Duration12.Funding Opportunity Number/Title: (Required) Enter the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and title of the opportunity under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement. petition Identification Number/Title: Enter the competition identification number and title of the competition under which assistance is requested, if applicable.14.Areas Affected by Project: This data element is intended for use only by programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be different than the place(s) of performance reported on the SF-424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form. Add attachment to enter additional areas, if needed.3.Date Received: Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the Federal agency.15.Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: (Required) Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If appropriate, attach a map showing project location (e.g., construction or real property projects). For pre-applications, attach a summary description of the project. 4.Applicant Identifier: Enter the entity identifier assigned by the Federal agency, if any, or the applicant’s control number if applicable.5a.Federal Entity Identifier: Enter the number assigned to your organization by the federal agency, if any.16.Congressional Districts Of: 16a. (Required) Enter the applicant’s congressional district. 16b. Enter all district(s) affected by the program or project. Enter in the format: 2 characters state abbreviation – 3 characters district number, e.g., CA-005 for California 5th district, CA-012 for California 12 district, NC-103 for North Carolina’s 103 district. If all congressional districts in a state are affected, enter “all” for the district number, e.g., MD-all for all congressional districts in Maryland. If nationwide, i.e. all districts within all states are affected, enter US-all. If the program/project is outside the US, enter 00-000. This optional data element is intended for use only by programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be different than place(s) of performance reported on the SF-424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form. Attach an additional list of program/project congressional districts, if needed.5b.Federal Award Identifier: For new applications, enter NA. For a continuation or revision to an existing award, enter the previously assigned federal award identifier number. If a changed/corrected application, enter the federal identifier in accordance with agency instructions.6.Date Received by State: Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the state, if applicable. 7.State Application Identifier: Leave this field blank. This identifier will be assigned by the state, if applicable.8.Applicant Information: Enter the following in accordance with agency instructions: a. Legal Name: (Required) Enter the legal name of applicant that will undertake the assistance activity. This is the organization that has registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Information on registering with CCR may be obtained by visiting . 17.Proposed Project Start and End Dates: (Required) Enter the proposed start date and end date of the project.b. Employer/Taxpayer Number (EIN/TIN): (Required) Enter the employer or taxpayer identification number (EIN or TIN) as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. If your organization is not in the US, enter 44-4444444.18.Estimated Funding: (Required) Enter the amount requested, or to be contributed during the first funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in-kind contributions should be included on appropriate lines, as applicable. If the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award, indicate only the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose the amounts in parentheses.c. Organizational DUNS: (Required) Enter the organization’s DUNS or DUNS+4 number received from Dun and Bradstreet. Information on obtaining a DUNS number may be obtained by visiting . 19.Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process? (Required) Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the application is subject to the State intergovernmental review process. Select the appropriate box. If “a.” is selected, enter the date the application was submitted to the State. d. Address: Enter address: Street 1 (Required); city (Required); County/Parish, State (Required if country is US), Province, Country (Required), 9-digit zip/postal code (Required if country US). 20.Is the Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt?(Required) Select the appropriate box. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of federal debt include; but, may not be limited to: delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes. If yes, include an explanation in an attachment. e. Organizational Unit: Enter the name of the primary organizational unit, department or division that will undertake the assistance activity. 21.Authorized Representative: To be signed and dated by the authorized representative of the applicant organization. Enter the first and last name (Required); prefix, middle name, suffix. Enter title, telephone number, email (Required); and fax number. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for you to sign this application as the official representative must be on file in the applicant’s office. (Certain federal agencies may require that this authorization be submitted as part of the application.)f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this application: Enter the first and last name (Required); prefix, middle name, suffix, title. Enter organizational affiliation if affiliated with an organization other than that in 7.a. Telephone number and email (Required); fax number. 9.Type of Applicant: (Required) Select up to three applicant type(s) in accordance with agency instructions. A.???? State GovernmentB.???? County GovernmentC.???? City or Township GovernmentD.???? Special District GovernmentE.???? Regional OrganizationF.???? U.S. Territory or PossessionG.??? Independent School DistrictH.???? Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher EducationI.????? Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)J.???? Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)K.???? Indian/Native American Tribally Designated OrganizationL.???? Public/Indian Housing AuthorityM.??? NonprofitN.???? Private Institution of Higher EducationO.??? IndividualP.???? For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)Q.??? Small BusinessR.???? Hispanic-serving InstitutionS.???? Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)T.???? Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)U.???? Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving InstitutionsV.???? Non-US EntityW.??? Other (specify)[U.S Department of Education note: As of summer, 2019, the FON discussed in Block 12 of the instructions can be found via the following URL: .]Instructions for U.S. Department of EducationSupplemental Information for the SF-424. Project Director. Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the person to be contacted on matters involving this application. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.2. Novice Applicant. Check “Yes” if you meet the definition for novice applicants specified in the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 and included on the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424”). By checking “Yes” the applicant certifies that it meets these novice applicant requirements. Check “No” if you do not meet the definition for novice applicants.This novice applicant information will be used by ED to: 1) determine the amount and type of technical assistance that a novice might need, if funded, and 2) determine novice applicant eligibility in discretionary grant competitions that give special consideration to novice applications. Certain ED discretionary grant programs give special consideration to novice applications, either by establishing a special competition for novice applicants or by giving competitive preference to novice applicants under the procedures in 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2). If special consideration is being given to novice applications under a particular discretionary grant competition, the application notice for the competition published in the Federal Register will specify this information3. Human Subjects Research. (See I. A. “Definitions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”)3a. If Not Human Subjects Research. Check “No” if research activities involving human subjects are not planned at any time during the proposed project period. The remaining parts of Item 3 are then not applicable.3a. If Human Subjects Research. Check “Yes” if research activities involving human subjects are planned at any time during the proposed project period, either at the applicant organization or at any other performance site or collaborating institution. Check “Yes” even if the research is exempt from the regulations for the protection of human subjects. (See I. B. “Exemptions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424.”) 3b. If Human Subjects Research is Exempt from the Human Subjects Regulations. Check “Yes” if all the research activities proposed are designated to be exempt from the regulations. Check the exemption number(s) corresponding to one or more of the six exemption categories listed in I. B. “Exemptions.” In addition, follow the instructions in II. A. “Exempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.” 3b. If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt from Human Subjects Regulations. Check “No” if some or all of the planned research activities are covered (not exempt). In addition, follow the instructions in II. B. “Nonexempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”3b. Human Subjects Assurance Number. If the applicant has an approved Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) on file with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that covers the specific activity, insert the number in the space provided. (A list of current FWAs is available at: ?) If the applicant does not have an approved assurance on file with OHRP, enter “None.” In this case, the applicant, by signature on the SF-424, is declaring that it will comply with 34 CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the human subjects’ assurance upon request by the designated ED official. If the application is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain the assurance within 30 days after the specific formal request.3c. If applicable, please attach your “Exempt Research” or “Nonexempt Research” narrative to your submission of the U.S Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424 form as instructed in item II, “Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research Narratives” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.” Note about Institutional Review Board Approval. ED does not require certification of Institutional Review Board approval with the application. However, if an application that involves non-exempt human subjects research is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain and send the certification to ED within 30 days after the formal request.No covered human subjects research can be conducted until the study has ED clearance for protection of human subjects in research.Paperwork Burden Statement. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1894-0006. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average between 15 and 45 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-0170. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form write directly to: Competitive Grants for State Assessments, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202.Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424Definitions:Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225) For discretionary grant programs, novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from ED that—Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from which it seeks funding;Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the program from which it seeks funding; andHas not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal government in the five years before the deadline date for applications under the program. For the purposes of this requirement, a grant is active until the end of the grant’s project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee’s authority to obligate funds.In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a group includes only parties that meet the requirements listed above.PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCHI. Definitions and ExemptionsA. Definitions.A research activity involves human subjects if the activity is research, as defined in the Department’s regulations, and the research activity will involve use of human subjects, as defined in the regulations.—ResearchThe ED Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 97, define research as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Activities which meet this definition constitute research whether or not they are conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for other purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs may include research activities.—Human SubjectThe regulations define human subject as “a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or (2) identifiable private information.” (1) If an activity involves obtaining information about a living person by manipulating that person or that person’s environment, as might occur when a new instructional technique is tested, or by communicating or interacting with the individual, as occurs with surveys and interviews, the definition of human subject is met. (2) If an activity involves obtaining private information about a living person in such a way that the information can be directly or indirectly linked to that individual, the definition of human subject is met [Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a school health record).]B. Exemptions.Research activities in which the only involvement of human subjects will be in one or more of the following six categories of exemptions are not covered by the regulations:(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (a) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (b) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods. If an educational practice is being introduced to the site and is not widely used for similar populations, it is not covered by this exemption.(2) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior, unless: (a) information obtained is recorded in such a manner that human subjects can be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; and (b) any disclosure of the human subjects’ responses outside the research could reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subjects’ financial standing, employability, or reputation. If the subjects are children, exemption 2 applies only to research involving educational tests and observations of public behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the activities being observed. Exemption 2 does not apply if children are surveyed or interviewed or if the research involves observation of public behavior and the investigator(s) participate in the activities being observed. [Children are defined as persons who have not attained the legal age for consent to treatments or procedures involved in the research, under the applicable law or jurisdiction in which the research will be conducted.](3) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior that is not exempt under section (2) above, if the human subjects are elected or appointed public officials or candidates for public office; or federal statute(s) require(s) without exception that the confidentiality of the personally identifiable information will be maintained throughout the research and thereafter.(4) Research involving the collection or study of existing data, documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects. [This exemption applies only to retrospective studies using data collected before the initiation of the research.](5) Research and demonstration projects which are conducted by or subject to the approval of department or agency heads, and which are designed to study, evaluate, or otherwise examine: (a) public benefit or service programs; (b) procedures for obtaining benefits or services under those programs; (c) possible changes in or alternatives to those programs or procedures; or (d) possible changes in methods or levels of payment for benefits or services under those programs. [The standards of this exemption are rarely met because it was designed to apply only to specific research conducted by HHS at the time the regulations were established. We will strictly construe this exemption because it was not intended to apply to ED research.](6) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance studies, (a) if wholesome foods without additives are consumed or (b) if a food is consumed that contains a food ingredient at or below the level and for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical or environmental contaminant at or below the level found to be safe, by the Food and Drug Administration or approved by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.II. Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research NarrativesIf the applicant marked “Yes” for Item 3.b. of the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF 424, the applicant must attach a human subjects “exempt research” or “nonexempt research” narrative to the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424 form. If you have multiple projects and need to provide more than one narrative, be sure to label each set of responses as to the project they address.A. Exempt Research Narrative.If you marked “Yes” for item 3.b. and designated exemption numbers(s), attach the “exempt research” narrative to the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424. The narrative must contain sufficient information about the involvement of human subjects in the proposed research to allow a determination by ED that the designated exemption(s) are appropriate. The narrative must be succinct.B. Nonexempt Research Narrative.If you marked “No” for item 3.b. you must attach the “nonexempt research” narrative to the U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424. The narrative must address the following seven points. Although no specific page limitation applies to this section of the application, be succinct.(1) Human Subjects Involvement and Characteristics: Provide a detailed description of the proposed involvement of human subjects. Describe the characteristics of the subject population, including their anticipated number, age range, and health status. Identify the criteria for inclusion or exclusion of any subpopulation. Explain the rationale for the involvement of special classes of subjects, such as children, children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, persons with mental disabilities, pregnant women, prisoners, institutionalized individuals, or others who are likely to be vulnerable(2) Sources of Materials: Identify the sources of research material obtained from individually identifiable living human subjects in the form of specimens, records, or data. Indicate whether the material or data will be obtained specifically for research purposes or whether use will be made of existing specimens, records, or data.(3) Recruitment and Informed Consent: Describe plans for the recruitment of subjects and the consent procedures to be followed. Include the circumstances under which consent will be sought and obtained, who will seek it, the nature of the information to be provided to prospective subjects, and the method of documenting consent. State if the Institutional Review Board (IRB) has authorized a modification or waiver of the elements of consent or the requirement for documentation of consent.(4) Potential Risks: Describe potential risks (physical, psychological, social, legal, or other) and assess their likelihood and seriousness. Where appropriate, describe alternative treatments and procedures that might be advantageous to the subjects.(5) Protection Against Risk: Describe the procedures for protecting against or minimizing potential risks, including risks to confidentiality, and assess their likely effectiveness. Where appropriate, discuss provisions for ensuring necessary medical or professional intervention in the event of adverse effects to the subjects. Also, where appropriate, describe the provisions for monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of the subjects.(6) Importance of the Knowledge to be Gained: Discuss the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained as a result of the proposed research. Discuss why the risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to the anticipated benefits to subjects and in relation to the importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result.(7) Collaborating Site(s): If research involving human subjects will take place at collaborating site(s) or other performance site(s), name the sites and briefly describe their involvement or role in the research.Copies of the Department of Education’s Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, 34 CFR Part 97 and other pertinent materials on the protection of human subjects in research are available from the Office of Finance and Operations, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4331, telephone: (202) 245-8090, and on the U.S. Department of Education’s Protection of Human Subjects in Research Web Site: : The State Applicant Identifier on the SF-424 is for State Use only. Please complete it on the SF-424 in the upper right corner of the form (if applicable). Part 2: Budget InformationThis part of your application contains information about the Federal funding you are requesting. Remember that you must provide all requested budget information for each year of the project and the total column in order to be considered for Federal funding. Specific instructions for completing the budget forms are provided within this application package. Instructions for completing ED Form 524 Section A:Name of Institution/Organization: Enter the name of the applicant in the space provided.Personnel (line 1): Enter project personnel salaries and wages only. Include fees and expenses for consultants on line 6.Fringe Benefits (line 2): The institution’s normal fringe benefits contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this line blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of the indirect cost.Travel (line 3): Indicate the travel costs of employees and participants only. Include travel of persons such as consultants on line 6. Equipment (line 4): Indicate the cost of tangible, non-expendable personal property that has a usefulness greater than one year and acquisition costs that are the lesser of the capitalization level established by the applicant entity for financial statement purposes or $5,000 per article. Lower limits may be established to maintain consistency with the applicant’s policy.Supplies (line 5): Show all tangible, expendable personal property. Direct supplies and materials differ from equipment in that they are consumable, expendable, and of a relatively low unit cost. Supplies purchased with grant funds should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary for achieving the goals of the project. Contractual (line 6): The contractual category should include all costs specifically incurred with actions that the applicant takes in conjunction with an established internal procurement system. Include consultant fees, expenses, and travel costs in this category if the consultant’s services are obtained through a written binding agreement or contract.Construction (line 7): Construction costs are not applicable for this program. Other (line 8): Indicate all direct costs not covered on lines 1-6. For example, include costs such as space rental, required fees, honoraria and travel (where a contract is not in place for services), training, and communication and printing costs. Do not include costs that are included in the indirect cost rate. Total Direct Costs (line 9): The sum of lines 1-8.Indirect Costs (line 10): Indicate the applicant’s approved indirect cost rate, per sections 75.560 – 75.564 of EDGAR. If an applicant does not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with a cognizant Federal agency, the applicant must apply to the Department for a temporary indirect cost rate if it wishes to charge indirect costs to the grant. For more information, go to the Department's website at: Stipends (line 11): Indicate the costs of training stipends provided to project participants (e.g., teachers).Total Cost (line 12): This should equal to sum of lines 9-11 (total direct costs + indirect + stipends). The sum for column one, labeled Project Year 1 (a), should also be equal to item 15a on the application cover sheet (SF Form 424).Instructions for ED 524 General InstructionsThis form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of Education (ED) discretionary grant programs. Unless directed otherwise, provide the same budget information for each year of the multi-year funding request. Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached. You may access the Education Department General Administrative Regulations cited within these instructions at:. You may access requirements from 2 CFR 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards” cited within these instructions at: must consult with your Business Office prior to submitting this form.Section A - Budget SummaryU.S. Department of Education FundsAll applicants must complete Section A and provide a break-down by the applicable budget categories shown in lines 1-11.Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year for which funding is requested, show the total amount requested for each applicable budget category.Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If funding is requested for only one project year, leave this column blank.Line 12, columns (a)-(e): Show the total budget request for each project year for which funding is requested.Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount requested for all project years. If funding is requested for only one year, leave this space blank.Indirect Cost Information: If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this information is to be completed by your Business Office. (1): Indicate whether or not your organization has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement that was approved by the Federal government. If you checked “no,” ED generally will authorize grantees to use a temporary rate of 10 percent of budgeted salaries and wages (complete (4) of this section when using the temporary rate) subject to the following limitations: (a) The grantee must submit an indirect cost proposal to its cognizant agency within 90 days after ED issues a grant award notification; and (b) If after the 90-day period, the grantee has not submitted an indirect cost proposal to its cognizant agency, the grantee may not charge its grant for indirect costs until it has negotiated an indirect cost rate agreement with its cognizant agency. (2): If you checked “yes” in (1), indicate in (2) the beginning and ending dates covered by the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. In addition, indicate whether ED, another Federal agency (Other) or State agency issued the approved agreement. If you check “Other,” specify the name of the Federal or other agency that issued the approved agreement.(3): If you check “no” in (1), indicate in (3) if you want to use the de minimis rate of 10 percent of MTDC (see 2CFR § 200.68). If you use the de minimis rate, you are subject to the provisions in 2 CFR § 200.414(f). Note, you may only use the 10 percent de minimis rate if you are a first-time Federal grant recipient, and you do not have an Approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. You may not use the de minimis rate if you are a State, Local government, or Indian Tribe, or if your grant is funded under a training rate or restricted rate program. (3): If you are applying for a grant under a Restricted Rate Program (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563), indicate whether you are using a restricted indirect cost rate that is included on your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, or whether you are using a restricted indirect cost rate that complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2). Note: State or Local government agencies may not use the provision for a restricted indirect cost rate specified in 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2). Check only one response. Leave blank, if this item is not applicable.Section B - Budget SummaryNon-Federal FundsIf you are required to provide or volunteer to provide cost-sharing or matching funds or other non-Federal resources to the project, these should be shown for each applicable budget category on lines 111 of Section B.Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year, for which matching funds or other contributions are provided, show the total contribution for each applicable budget category.Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this column blank.Line 12, columns (a)-(e): Show the total matching or other contribution for each project year.Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the multi-year project. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this space blank.Section C - Budget Narrative [Attach separate sheet(s)]Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached.Provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by project year, for each budget category listed in Sections A and B. For grant projects that will be divided into two or more separately budgeted major activities or sub-projects, show for each budget category of a project year the breakdown of the specific expenses attributable to each sub-project or activity.For non-Federal funds or resources listed in Section B that are used to meet a cost-sharing or matching requirement or provided as a voluntary cost-sharing or matching commitment, you must include: a. The specific costs or contributions by budget category; b. The source of the costs or contributions; andc. In the case of third-party in-kind contributions, a description of how the value was determined for the donated or contributed goods or services.[Please review cost sharing and matching regulations found in 2 CFR 200.306.]If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated.If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this information is to be completed by your Business Office. Specify the estimated amount of the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied and the total indirect expense. Depending on the grant program to which you are applying and/or your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, some direct cost budget categories in your grant application budget may not be included in the base and multiplied by your indirect cost rate. For example, you must multiply the indirect cost rates of “Training grants" (34 CFR 75.562) and grants under programs with “Supplement not Supplant” requirements ("Restricted Rate" programs) by a “modified total direct cost” (MTDC) base (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563). Please indicate which costs are included and which costs are excluded from the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied. When calculating indirect costs (line 10) for "Training grants" or grants under "Restricted Rate" programs, you must refer to the information and examples on ED’s website at: . You may also contact (202) 377-3838 for additional information regarding calculating indirect cost rates or general indirect cost rate information.Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.Paperwork Burden StatementAccording to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1894-0008. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to vary from 13 to 22 hours per response, with an average of 17.5 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4537. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to Competitive Grants for State Assessments, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202. Part 3: ED Abstract FormThis section should be attached as a single document to the ED Abstract Form in accordance with the instructions found on and should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.Please note that cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters. Project Abstract The project abstract should not exceed two double spaced pages and should include a concise description of the following information: Project objectives and activities Proposed project outcomes Number of participants to be served Number and location of proposed sites How the absolute priorities are addressed by the projectIf applicable, how any invitational priorities are being addressed by the projectNote: may include a note that indicates that the project abstract may not exceed one page; however, an abstract of more than one page may be uploaded.Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment FormThis section should be attached as a single document to the Project Narrative Attachment Form in accordance with the instructions found on and should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the common instructions. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters.Table of ContentsThe Table of Contents shows where and how the important sections of your proposal are organized and should not exceed one double spaced page.Application NarrativeThe application narrative responds to the selection criteria found in this application package and should follow the order of the selection criteria. We encourage applicants to limit this section of the application to the equivalent of no more than 65 pages and adhere to the following guidelines:? A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.? Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.? Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).? Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.Selection Criteria for Program Narrative The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. Each criterion includes the factors that reviewers will consider in determining the extent to which an applicant meets the criterion. The selection criteria for this competition can be found in the Notice Inviting Applications for this grant competition.See to access the NIA for this competition.Part 5: Budget NarrativeThis section should be attached as a single document to the Budget Narrative Attachment Form in accordance with the instructions found on . It should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process. Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters.Each application must also provide a Budget Narrative (which serves to meet the requirements of ED Form 524, Section C) for requested Federal funds. The Budget Narrative for requested Federal funds should provide a justification of how the money requested for each budget item will be spent. This section requires an itemized budget breakdown for each project year and the basis for estimating the costs of personnel salaries, benefits, project staff travel, materials and supplies, consultants and subcontracts, indirect costs and any other projected expenditures. Be sure to complete an itemized budget breakdown and narrative for each year of the proposed project.The Budget Narrative provides an opportunity for the applicant to identify the nature and amount of the proposed expenditures. The applicant should provide sufficient detail to enable reviewers and project staff to understand how requested funds will be used, how much will be expended, and the relationship between the requested funds and project activities and outcomes. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.232, Department of Education staff perform a cost analysis of each recommended project to ensure that costs relate to the activities and objectives of the project, are reasonable, allowable and allocable. We may delete or reduce costs from the budget during this review. Important Notes Applicants are encouraged to review the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations Uniform Guidance, Cost Principles in preparing their budget and budget narrative. The Uniform Guidance may be found at the following link: Guidelines for the Budget NarrativeTo facilitate the review of your Budget Narrative, we encourage each applicant to include the following information for each year of the project:1. PersonnelProvide the title and duties of each position to be compensated under this project.Provide the salary for each position under this project. Provide the amounts of time, such as hours or percentage of time to be expended by each position under this project.Explain the importance of each position to the success of the project.Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations. 2. Fringe BenefitsGive the fringe benefit percentages of all personnel included under Personnel.Provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated. 3. Travel Explain the purpose of the travel, how it relates to project success, how it aligns with the project goals and objectives and which program participants or staff will participate. Submit an estimate for the number of trips, points of origin and destination, and purpose of travel. Submit an itemized estimate of transportation and/or subsistence costs for each trip. Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations. 4. EquipmentIndicate the estimated unit cost for each item to be purchased. Identify each type of equipment.Provide adequate justification of the need for items of equipment to be purchased.Explain the purpose of the equipment, and how it relates to project success.Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations. 5. SuppliesProvide an itemized estimate of materials and supplies by nature of expense or general category (e.g., instructional materials, office supplies, etc.).Explain the purpose of the supplies and how they relate to project success.Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations. 6. ContractualProvide the purpose and relation to project success.Describe the products to be acquired, and/or the professional services to be provided.Provide a brief justification for the use of the contractors selected. Identify the name(s) of the contracting party, including consultants, if available.Provide the cost per contractor.Provide the amount of time that the project will be working with the contractor(s).For professional services contracts, provide the amounts of time to be devoted to the project, including the costs to be charged to this proposed grant award. Provide a brief statement that you have followed the procedures for procurement under: 2 CFR 200.317-200.326. Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations. 7. ConstructionNot applicable to this program.8. Other List and identify items by major type or category (e.g., communications, printing, postage, equipment rental, etc.). Provide the cost per item (printing = $500, postage = $750).Provide the purpose for the expenditures and relation to project success.Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations. 9. Total Direct CostsThe amount that is the sum of expenditures, per budget category, of lines 1-8.10. Indirect CostsIdentify indirect cost rate (if the applicant will charge indirect costs to the grant) Note: remember to provide a copy of the most recent approved indirect cost agreement in the Other Attachments form section of the application (see ).11. Training Stipends Not applicable.12. Total CostsSum of direct costs, indirect costs, and stipends. Please provide total costs for each year of the project as well as grand total cost for the entire project.Part 6: Other Attachment FormAttach one or more documents to the Other Attachments Form in accordance with the instructions found on . You may provide all of the required information in a single document, or in multiple documents. Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the common instructions. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.Please note that cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend your file names be less than 50 characters.Individual Resumes for Project Directors and Key Personnel: Provide brief resumes or job descriptions that describe personnel qualifications for the responsibilities they will carry out under the project. Copy of Indirect Cost Rate AgreementReferences/BibliographyExecutive Order 12372 Transmittal Letter, if applicablePart 7: Assurances and CertificationsBe certain to complete all required assurances and certifications in , and include all required information in the appropriate place on each form. The assurances and certifications required for this application are:Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF LLL Form) Lobbying Form – “Certification Regarding Lobbying” (ED 80-013 Form)General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427MOU/MOA or Consortium Agreement INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SF-LLL, DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIESThis disclosure form shall be completed by the reporting entity, whether subawardee or prime Federal recipient, at the initiation or receipt of a covered Federal action, or a material change to a previous filing, pursuant to title 31 U.S.C. section 1352. The filing of a form is required for each payment or agreement to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action. Complete all items that apply for both the initial filing and material change report. Refer to the implementing guidance published by the Office of Management and Budget for additional information.1.Identify the type of covered Federal action for which lobbying activity is and/or has been secured to influence the outcome of a covered Federal action.2.Identify the status of the covered Federal action.3.Identify the appropriate classification of this report. If this is a follow up report caused by a material change to the information previously reported, enter the year and quarter in which the change occurred. Enter the date of the last previously submitted report by this reporting entity for this covered Federal action.4.Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the reporting entity. Include Congressional District, if known. Check the appropriate classification of the reporting entity that designates if it is, or expects to be, a prime or subaward recipient. Identify the tier of the subawardee, e.g., the first subawardee of the prime is the 1st tier. Subawards include but are not limited to subcontracts, subgrants and contract awards under grants.5.If the organization filing the report in item 4 checks “Subawardee,” then enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the prime Federal recipient. Include Congressional District, if known.6.Enter the name of the federal agency making the award or loan commitment. Include at least one organizational level below agency name, if known. For example, Department of Transportation, United States Coast Guard.7.Enter the Federal program name or description for the covered Federal action (item 1). If known, enter the full Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for grants, cooperative agreements, loans, and loan commitments.8.Enter the most appropriate Federal identifying number available for the Federal action identified in item 1 (e.g., Request for Proposal (RFP) number; Invitations for Bid (IFB) number; grant announcement number; the contract, grant, or loan award number; the application/proposal control number assigned by the Federal agency). Included prefixes, e.g., “RFP-DE-90-001.”9.For a covered Federal action where there has been an award or loan commitment by the Federal agency, enter the Federal amount of the award/loan commitment for the prime entity identified in item 4 or 5.10.(a) Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the lobbying registrant under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 engaged by the reporting entity identified in item 4 to influence the covered Federal action.(b) Enter the full names of the individual(s) performing services and include full address if different from 10(a). Enter Last Name, First Name, and Middle Initial (MI).11.The certifying official shall sign and date the form, print his/her name, title, and telephone number.010541000According to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control Number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is OMB No. 4040-0013. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (4040-0013), Washington, DC 20503INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEETING THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT (GEPA) SECTION 427 REQUIREMENTSAll applicants for new awards must include information in their applications to address this provision in order to receive funding under this program. Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an individual person) to include in its application a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its Federally assisted program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. This provision allows applicants discretion in developing the required description. The statute highlights six types of barriers that can impede equitable access or participation: gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age.A general statement of an applicant’s nondiscriminatory hiring policy is not sufficient to meet this requirement. Applicants must identify potential barriers and explain steps they will take to overcome these barriers.Please review the Notice to all Applicants (included in the electronic application package in ) for further information on meeting the provisions in the Department of Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). Applicants are required to address this provision by attaching a statement (not to exceed three pages) to the ED GEPA 427 form that is included in the electronic application package in . Part 8: Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372)This program falls under the rubric of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive order is to strengthen federalism--or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government--by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have devised for coordinating and reviewing proposed Federal financial grant applications. However, under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in order to make awards by the end of FY 2020.III. Reporting and AccountabilitySuccessful Applicants with multi-year grants must submit an annual performance report demonstrating their progress in meeting approved project objectives. Grantees must also provide the most current financial and performance measure data for each year of the project. At the end of the project period, applicants will also be required to submit a final performance ernment Performance and Results Act (GPRA) MeasuresUnder the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the following performance indicators have been established to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Competitive Grants for State Assessment Program. The GPRA Indicators can be found in the Notice Inviting Applications for this program.The percentage of grantees, for each grant cycle, that demonstrate significant progress towards improving, developing, or implementing a new model for measuring the achievement of students. The percentage of grantees, for each grant cycle, that demonstrate collaboration with institutions of higher education, other research institutions, or other organizations to develop or improve state assessments. The percentage of grantees that, at least three times during the period of their grants, make available to SEA staff in non-participating States and to assessment researchers information on findings resulting from the Competitive Grants for State Assessments program through presentations at national conferences, publications in refereed journals, or other products disseminated to the assessment community. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please go to the ED Performance Report Form 524B at . Legal and Regulatory InformationNotice Inviting ApplicationsSee to access the NIA for this competition.Program Statute Pages 107-108 ESEA (20 U.S.C.6363) TITLE I PART B SECTION 1203 ................
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